The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-19
al UllOticed HeTo'S Fate.
BY HENRY G. WILLIS.

Not very long ago the writer made the acquaintance of one of those lhen of faith who spend their lives in the study of aero- statics, and devote their energies to devising practical method of nav igating the air. Unfortunately, these men receive only derision for their pursuit of what the world deems wild idea.
 Prof. Cardon, the gentleman re- ferred to, has been for the last quarter of a century persistent inventor of "air- r-ships," and if he has not yet fully solved the problem of aerial travel, it has certainly not been because he has not studied it industriously and pro- foundly. Nor have "temporary fail- ures" shaken his faith in the ultimate success of himself or some other per son. There may come day when these same men of faith and devotion will be remembered and honored, but not this year, nor, probably, by this generation of people.
 In recent conversation with the professor, was not little interested III NiiC SbOi iC iClbtCh OI LiC IttlC Ol Il youthful comrade, one of the unnoticed heroes who have given their lives to save others. We were speaking of parachutes, or rather I had asked the professor whsther he ever made use of these devices.
 Not with.iiiil the last twenty five years; never, in fact, since poor Burt lMcClintock fell with one," he replied. "That was twenty years ago. He fell and lost his life, as you may possibly remember, on the west shore of Chesapeake bay.
 "Aerial navigation was more of novelty in this country then than 1t is now. McClintock and were young sters, hardly turned twenty, and we were in kind of junior partnership with the somewhat noted Prof. Hern- don, one of the pioneers of @ronautics in America.
 "The professor owned balloon, which he had christened the Chariot of the Sky He had got somewhat out of the way of making ascents him. self, but he used to send McClintock and me out whenever profitable en- gagement could be made. We thus served, for two or three years, sort of apprenticeship under him.
 "Public ascents have always to be made as showy and attractive as possi- ble. During the second year we in- troduced the parachute as novel fea- ture.
 "No doubt every one knows what a parachute is; a contrivance tor de- scending to the earth when at great height. The word is French, and, in- deed, the device is a French one, as is almost everything else about balloons. Monsieur Garnerin, in 1902, was the first man who ever let himself drop from balloon with parachute. He descended from his balloon when at a height of twelve hundred feet, and was fortunate enough to come to the ground unhurt.
 "A parachute is something like a great umbrella, twelve or fifteen feet in diameter, having little car at the end of the umbrella stick, so to speak, to stand in, while at the ends of the ribs are strong cords running down tO tiC N0As AAtNC uli tOO, IL is made too shut up. The covering is of strong strips of silk, or light leather, sewn together, and fastened up at the apex to a circular piece of wood or metal. In some parachutes there is small orifce in the piece. oi wood or metal at the apex, to allow the air, if too violently compressed, to escape, and thus steady the machine or prevent it from .flurting,' as it is called.
 "The parachute is commonly hung at the bottom of the car of the bal loon, from which the @ronaut car slide down by rope to the little cal of the parachute. The parachute is fastened in by slip knot arrange ment, which can be pulled out by an. v other cord--and then down you goi
 ,.But the parachute, which has hnne shut up, opens as you fall, and spreadl it's huge surface to catch the air Though your fall is fearfully rapid for few seconds, the velocity is sooI checked and reduced to slow uniform motion downward.